Rasmussen: 72% Say Small Business Owners Responsible for Success

Entrepreneurs who start businesses are widely believed to do more to create jobs and economic growth than big businesses or government, according to a Rasmussen Reports telephone survey released on Monday.

Most survey respondents also believe that small-business owners work harder than other Americans and are primarily responsible for the success or failure of their businesses.

Seventy-two percent of the 1,000 likely U.S. voters surveyed by telephone on July 21 and July 22 say that people who start small businesses are primarily responsible for their success or failure. Only 13 percent disagree.

But 77 percent believe small-business owners work harder than other workers. Just 2 percent think they don’t work as hard.

Meanwhile, 57 percent of voters believe entrepreneurs who start small businesses do more to create jobs and economic growth than big businesses or government programs. Only 16 percent think big businesses do the most when it comes to creating jobs and economic growth.

Eleven percent feel state and local government programs deserve the most credit, while 7 percent think federal government programs have the biggest impact.

Similarly, 61 percent believe that small businesses provide more valuable service to a community than big business or government at any level.